Having three kids, I could finish that sentence any number of ways. But, today, tonight,
… put the kids to bed.
Twice in the last week I have found myself explaining why it is I start the bedtime ritual so early. Two friends with one child each (Please notice I did not say “only” one child or “just” one child. This is not a judgment post. Just one of what it’s like to be outnumbered by one’s children.) have caught me in the early stages of bedtime recently.
And, yes, it really is 6:30, and I really am ferrying the kids, all three of them, upstairs. Because. It. Takes. A. LONG. Time. to get them all ready for bed. With one child, I found bedtime difficult (and my oldest still is my worst sleeper). With three, and on nights like tonight when I am the only parent here, bedtime is laughable (if I am feeling the ability to laugh) or nightmarish (so close to asleep myself, this is more often an accurate description). Tonight, it was laughable. What can I say? I slept a bit last night.
To get all three ready takes a lot of work. And, frankly, I’m too tired to go into the details. But it might go something like this.
And it takes more than an hour, sometimes close to two.
But right now, they all are up in their own beds, and I am downstairs in mine. And my sweetie’s not here tonight, so it’s just me, and I took out two movies from the library today. And I just might eat hot fudge from the jar and snuggle under the blankets and watch them both. In the middle of the bed.
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Yes, bedtime with 3 can take forever it seems…. Especially if it is shower night (our new house has no bathtubs!) and especially if one or more is fighting me every step of the way… I am so relieved when they are all (finally) asleep!
Oh honey, I can only imagine. I have two and it’s a chore. And if you are single-mommin’ it? Yikes. Hope you got into the hot fudge. You deserve it.